The Ladder

Every ballot counted · rankings move with every vote

1. 1Martin Luther King Jr.Activists57–31831
2. 3Jesse OwensAthletes25–51711
3. 5John F. KennedyPresidents51–101708
4. 6Stanley KubrickEntertainers22–31695
5. 8Jackie RobinsonAthletes15–11673
6. 9Ruth Bader GinsburgStatesmen15–11672
7. 14Ray CharlesMusicians14–21658
8. 18Steve MartinEntertainers22–81653
9. 24Dr. SeussWriters14–31643
10. 25Bill RussellAthletes12–11640
11. 27Steven SpielbergEntertainers14–21635
12. 32Marvin GayeMusicians12–11631
13. 34Carl SaganScientists14–21628
14. 35Rosa ParksActivists11–11627
15. 37Samuel L. JacksonEntertainers13–21624
16. 38Nolan RyanAthletes11–11624
17. 39Elvis PresleyMusicians13–31624
18. 41John GlennAstronauts13–51622
19. 43Jack NicholsonEntertainers10–11619
20. 44Willie NelsonMusicians18–101619
21. 45Jim MorrisonMusicians13–31618
22. 48Fred RogersIcons10–21616
23. 52Kareem Abdul-JabbarAthletes11–21615
24. 53Johnny CashMusicians15–41615
25. 56Angela DavisActivists10–21613
26. 57Buzz AldrinAstronauts13–41609
27. 68Yogi BerraAthletes17–101605
28. 72Alex TrebekIcons11–31604
29. 75Neil ArmstrongAstronauts11–31603
30. 76Malcolm XActivists9–11603
31. 79Marilyn MonroeEntertainers12–41601
32. 80Gregg PopovichAthletes15–81600
33. 84Stevie NicksMusicians11–41599
34. 86Bob BarkerIcons9–31599
35. 87Jonas SalkScientists9–11598
36. 88Diane KeatonEntertainers12–41598
37. 89Sandra Day O'ConnorStatesmen11–31598
38. 94B.B. KingMusicians18–81595
39. 96Bruce SpringsteenMusicians11–31595
40. 99Harrison FordEntertainers9–21595
41. 100Frank SinatraMusicians12–41594
42. 101Miles DavisMusicians13–41594
43. 105Stephen KingWriters11–31592
44. 108Brian WilsonMusicians11–31591
45. 110Muhammad AliAthletes8–21590
46. 111Reggie JacksonAthletes10–31589
47. 112Hank AaronAthletes13–51589
48. 114Rodney DangerfieldEntertainers12–51588
49. 116Paul SimonMusicians13–51587
50. 121Bill ClintonPresidents14–61586
51. 122Bernie SandersStatesmen10–31586
52. 127Morgan FreemanEntertainers11–41584
53. 128Joe DiMaggioAthletes13–81584
54. 129Andy WarholIcons12–51582
55. 131Al PacinoEntertainers17–81581
56. 132Bob DylanMusicians10–41581
57. 133Francis Ford CoppolaEntertainers10–41581
58. 137Willie MaysAthletes8–21581
59. 140Arnold PalmerAthletes11–31580
60. 141Robert De NiroEntertainers9–31580
61. 142David LettermanEntertainers10–31580
62. 143Clint EastwoodEntertainers10–41579
63. 144Harvey MilkActivists10–31579
64. 145George LucasEntertainers11–51579
65. 148Pete MaravichAthletes14–61578
66. 151John DenverMusicians9–31578
67. 158Joe LouisAthletes14–91575
68. 159Ansel AdamsIcons8–31575
69. 164Pete RoseAthletes10–51574
70. 165Jimmy CarterPresidents9–21574
71. 167Frank RobinsonAthletes11–41574
72. 168Martin ScorseseEntertainers8–21574
73. 169Paul NewmanEntertainers8–21574
74. 170Joe BidenPresidents10–41573
75. 171Richard PryorEntertainers10–41573
76. 172Billy JoelMusicians8–31573
77. 173Dean MartinEntertainers9–31573
78. 178Barbra StreisandMusicians10–51571
79. 180Mickey MantleAthletes9–31571
80. 183Jimi HendrixMusicians21–201570
81. 184Bart StarrAthletes8–21570
82. 193Ted DansonEntertainers15–91568
83. 194Sally FieldEntertainers11–81568
84. 196Barbara McClintockScientists11–61567
85. 200J.D. SalingerWriters12–51566
86. 201Isaac HayesMusicians18–91566
87. 206Lyndon B. JohnsonPresidents10–41564
88. 210Christopher WalkenEntertainers15–81562
89. 212Judy GarlandEntertainers9–41562
90. 213Muddy WatersMusicians8–31562
91. 215BaltoFolk Heroes8–31561
92. 222Otis ReddingMusicians8–31559
93. 230Ralph EllisonWriters11–51557
94. 231Bobby FischerAthletes10–51557
95. 232Roberto ClementeAthletes8–31557
96. 233Wally SchirraAstronauts16–71557
97. 234Leonard NimoyEntertainers12–61556
98. 235Dizzy GillespieMusicians10–51556
99. 238Katherine JohnsonScientists9–51555
100. 241Diana RossMusicians9–51554
101. 242Katharine HepburnEntertainers9–41554
102. 246Langston HughesWriters8–61554
103. 247Johnny CarsonEntertainers8–51553
104. 251John WayneEntertainers8–41552
105. 252Mel BrooksEntertainers14–101552
106. 254Harper LeeWriters12–81552
107. 255Larry DavidEntertainers7–31551
108. 259Count BasieMusicians10–61550
109. 261Kurt VonnegutWriters10–51550
110. 262Thurgood MarshallStatesmen7–31550
111. 268Aretha FranklinMusicians11–61548
112. 272Dolly PartonMusicians15–121547
113. 273Louis ArmstrongMusicians7–51547
114. 279Barbara WaltersIcons10–61547
115. 280Jim HensonEntertainers9–41546
116. 284Vince LombardiAthletes8–41545
117. 285Jesse JacksonActivists8–51545
118. 286Octavia ButlerWriters7–31545
119. 288Robert NoyceScientists7–41545
120. 289Charles SchulzIcons10–81545
121. 291Jeff BridgesEntertainers10–61545
122. 292Elgin BaylorAthletes8–41544
123. 293George ForemanAthletes9–51544
124. 299Jack NicklausAthletes12–81543
125. 302Bruce LeeEntertainers8–51542
126. 305Sandy KoufaxAthletes7–41542
127. 307Billie HolidayMusicians9–61541
128. 310Jim BrownAthletes8–41540
129. 311George W. BushPresidents8–61540
130. 313Shirley TempleEntertainers10–91540
131. 318Sam CookeMusicians12–81539
132. 320Ray BradburyWriters7–41539
133. 323Sigourney WeaverEntertainers8–61538
134. 324Bill WalshAthletes8–61538
135. 325Michael CrichtonWriters8–51537
136. 327Danny DeVitoEntertainers8–51537
137. 328Rick JamesMusicians7–51537
138. 329Sidney PoitierEntertainers7–51537
139. 330Alan ShepardAstronauts8–41537
140. 331Mike DitkaAthletes9–61536
141. 332Madeleine AlbrightStatesmen8–51536
142. 335Ted WilliamsAthletes8–51535
143. 336Wilt ChamberlainAthletes12–81535
144. 338Gene KellyEntertainers6–51534
145. 339Nina SimoneMusicians10–81534
146. 340Rita HayworthEntertainers8–61533
147. 342Phil JacksonAthletes11–61533
148. 345Colin PowellStatesmen10–61533
149. 348John WilliamsMusicians6–41532
150. 350Walt DisneyEntertainers11–71532
151. 352Janis JoplinMusicians8–51531
152. 353Joe NamathAthletes9–61531
153. 354Chuck BerryMusicians7–41531
154. 356Walter CronkiteIcons12–81530
155. 362Joan RiversEntertainers8–61529
156. 363Toni MorrisonWriters7–41529
157. 365Betty WhiteEntertainers6–41529
158. 369Lou ReedMusicians8–61529
159. 370Frank GehryIcons15–111529
160. 371Lou GehrigAthletes26–441529
161. 381Pat SajakIcons24–391526
162. 384Jerry WestAthletes8–61526
163. 386Dorothy VaughanScientists7–51526
164. 387Phil KnightMoguls13–101526
165. 388Maya AngelouWriters6–41525
166. 390Meryl StreepEntertainers7–51525
167. 392Buddy HollyMusicians10–91524
168. 393Barry WhiteMusicians7–61524
169. 395Medgar EversActivists8–61524
170. 397Ella FitzgeraldMusicians12–91524
171. 399Ed SullivanIcons6–41523
172. 400James BaldwinWriters7–51523
173. 403Coach KAthletes7–51523
174. 409Art GarfunkelMusicians10–81522
175. 410Donna SummerMusicians15–101522
176. 415George CarlinEntertainers8–51521
177. 416Audie MurphyMilitary20–401521
178. 418Elizabeth TaylorEntertainers7–51521
179. 419Ernie BanksAthletes10–71521
180. 425Alice WalkerWriters7–61520
181. 427CherMusicians8–81519
182. 429Yvon ChouinardMoguls10–71519
183. 430Bobby JonesAthletes7–61519
184. 433Doris MillerMilitary9–91518
185. 434Gene CernanAstronauts6–51518
186. 439Gene WilderEntertainers10–81517
187. 443Al GoreStatesmen6–51516
188. 444J. Robert OppenheimerScientists10–111516
189. 445Roger StaubachAthletes7–51516
190. 447Satchel PaigeAthletes6–51515
191. 448Margaret HamiltonScientists10–81515
192. 455Chevy ChaseEntertainers12–101514
193. 462Dick ClarkIcons7–61514
194. 463Thelonious MonkMusicians11–101514
195. 470John MaddenAthletes8–71512
196. 475Regis PhilbinIcons6–51511
197. 476Sam ElliottEntertainers6–61511
198. 480Lionel RichieMusicians5–41510
199. 483John McCainStatesmen10–81509
200. 489Richard NixonPresidents8–81508
201. 491Ava GardnerEntertainers10–91507
202. 492Julia ChildIcons7–61507
203. 495John SteinbeckWriters6–51507
204. 499Jim LovellAstronauts6–51506
205. 500Orson WellesEntertainers9–81506
206. 502George SteinbrennerMoguls9–81506
207. 503Woody GuthrieMusicians8–81505
208. 504Desmond DossMilitary14–191505
209. 506Hillary ClintonStatesmen7–71505
210. 508Little RichardMusicians9–91505
211. 509Michael CollinsAstronauts8–81505
212. 510Gregory PeckEntertainers7–61504
213. 511Bette MidlerMusicians6–61504
214. 513James BrownMusicians8–71503
215. 515Bob RossIcons8–91503
216. 518Etta JamesMusicians10–81502
217. 523Gladys KnightMusicians14–201501
218. 524Andy GriffithEntertainers5–51501
219. 527Ralph NaderActivists7–81501
220. 531Gerald FordPresidents8–91500
221. 538Carol BurnettEntertainers5–61499
222. 539Wernher von BraunScientists6–51499
223. 542Bette DavisEntertainers7–71497
224. 543Don ShulaAthletes5–71497
225. 544Robert RedfordEntertainers11–101496
226. 546Bob HopeEntertainers5–61496
227. 547Tina TurnerMusicians5–61496
228. 549Carlos SantanaMusicians6–51495
229. 550James Earl JonesEntertainers7–81495
230. 552Nancy PelosiStatesmen9–101495
231. 553Edward R. MurrowIcons5–61495
232. 554Martha StewartMoguls5–61495
233. 556Harry BelafonteEntertainers6–71494
234. 557Frank AbagnaleOutlaws8–91494
235. 558Nat King ColeMusicians6–81494
236. 560Rocky MarcianoAthletes7–71494
237. 564Jane FondaIcons6–61493
238. 568Ronald ReaganPresidents5–61492
239. 571Leonard BernsteinMusicians9–111491
240. 573Marsha P. JohnsonActivists5–61491
241. 574Tom SelleckEntertainers5–61491
242. 575Richard FeynmanScientists7–91490
243. 581Gene KranzAstronauts6–91489
244. 582Howard HughesMoguls6–71489
245. 583Isaac AsimovWriters5–51489
246. 584John WoodenAthletes7–71489
247. 585Billie Jean KingAthletes7–71488
248. 586Judge JudyIcons6–61488
249. 590Stan MusialAthletes5–51488
250. 591Clark GableEntertainers6–71487
251. 592Anthony FauciScientists8–91487
252. 595James DeanEntertainers5–61486
253. 597Marlon BrandoEntertainers7–91486
254. 598Sylvia PlathWriters7–71486
255. 601Dustin HoffmanEntertainers7–81484
256. 603Gordon MooreScientists5–71484
257. 606Gale SayersAthletes12–121483
258. 608Rupert MurdochMoguls5–61483
259. 615Charles DrewScientists4–61482
260. 616Arnold SchwarzeneggerEntertainers5–71481
261. 621Quincy JonesMusicians5–61481
262. 622Jackson PollockIcons6–81480
263. 627Warren BuffettMoguls9–91480
264. 629Chien-Shiung WuScientists7–81480
265. 630Sylvester StalloneEntertainers5–61480
266. 631Gloria SteinemActivists5–71479
267. 633Loretta LynnMusicians5–61479
268. 635Donald TrumpPresidents5–61478
269. 638Evel KnievelFolk Heroes6–71477
270. 644Curtis MayfieldMusicians6–101476
271. 650Curtis LeMayMilitary4–71476
272. 651Alan AldaEntertainers10–121476
273. 655John ColtraneMusicians4–61475
274. 661Danny GloverEntertainers9–121474
275. 662Philo FarnsworthScientists9–121474
276. 664Kirk DouglasEntertainers16–221473
277. 665Whitey BulgerOutlaws4–61473
278. 667Truman CapoteWriters4–71473
279. 668Larry KingIcons5–71472
280. 670Charles LindberghExplorers5–61471
281. 672John BelushiEntertainers6–81471
282. 676Christa McAuliffeAstronauts5–81471
283. 679Cesar ChavezActivists6–91470
284. 680Sam SneadAthletes4–71470
285. 681Glenn CloseEntertainers7–101470
286. 682Ted TurnerMoguls6–91470
287. 685Stan LeeIcons4–61469
288. 688Ric FlairAthletes5–81468
289. 689Don RicklesEntertainers10–131468
290. 692Sugar Ray RobinsonAthletes7–81468
291. 695Henry WinklerEntertainers7–101468
292. 698Mary Tyler MooreEntertainers7–91467
293. 699Chuck YeagerMilitary8–101467
294. 702Steven TylerMusicians8–101466
295. 706Tom ClancyWriters7–81465
296. 709Lucille BallEntertainers5–81465
297. 710Philip K. DickWriters8–111465
298. 713Burt ReynoldsEntertainers9–121464
299. 714Hunter S. ThompsonWriters4–71464
300. 718John GottiOutlaws5–81462
301. 721Charles BukowskiWriters6–81462
302. 722Bing CrosbyMusicians4–71461
303. 725Antonin ScaliaStatesmen3–71461
304. 727Fannie Lou HamerActivists4–81461
305. 728Bob GibsonAthletes6–111460
306. 729Betty FriedanActivists8–111460
307. 731Joan DidionWriters7–101460
308. 732Gilda RadnerEntertainers6–81459
309. 733George TakeiEntertainers6–101459
310. 734Dan RatherIcons4–81459
311. 735Carl WeathersEntertainers4–81458
312. 738Jack KerouacWriters5–71458
313. 741Dave ThomasMoguls6–91457
314. 742Edward James OlmosEntertainers4–81457
315. 746Ray KrocMoguls5–91457
316. 751Smokey RobinsonMusicians6–111456
317. 752John WatersIcons8–121456
318. 753Susan SarandonEntertainers4–71455
319. 761Andre the GiantAthletes7–111454
320. 762Gary CooperEntertainers5–81454
321. 763Grace KellyEntertainers6–91454
322. 765Terry BradshawAthletes6–91453
323. 767Temple GrandinScientists5–91453
324. 768Josh GibsonAthletes4–71453
325. 774Cormac McCarthyWriters3–71451
326. 775Jerry SpringerIcons4–71451
327. 776Deke SlaytonAstronauts3–81451
328. 782Charlton HestonEntertainers3–71450
329. 788Virginia ApgarScientists4–81448
330. 790Ina GartenIcons6–111447
331. 791Barry GoldwaterStatesmen7–141447
332. 792Arthur MillerWriters4–91447
333. 793Merle HaggardMusicians4–81447
334. 795Dick ButkusAthletes5–91446
335. 796Debbie HarryMusicians27–351445
336. 801Mean Joe GreeneAthletes3–81443
337. 802Bayard RustinActivists3–81443
338. 809Adam WestEntertainers3–71442
339. 811Grace HopperScientists5–101442
340. 812Vint CerfScientists3–81441
341. 813Norman BorlaugScientists5–101441
342. 814Joseph HellerWriters7–111441
343. 815Hyman G. RickoverMilitary4–91441
344. 828Bob NewhartEntertainers4–91438
345. 831John von NeumannScientists6–111437
346. 832Charlie ParkerMusicians3–81437
347. 833Al GreenMusicians5–101437
348. 838Frank ZappaMusicians5–101436
349. 840Cheech MarinEntertainers4–91436
350. 841Lee IacoccaMoguls3–81436
351. 843Steve FossettExplorers3–71436
352. 844Kathy BatesEntertainers7–101436
353. 845Michael BloombergMoguls5–91435
354. 848Jerry Lee LewisMusicians3–71435
355. 851Jerry JonesMoguls4–81433
356. 852Sammy Davis Jr.Entertainers4–91433
357. 854Pat RileyAthletes6–101433
358. 855Redd FoxxEntertainers2–71433
359. 856Billy GrahamActivists3–81433
360. 857Dennis RitchieScientists4–101432
361. 858Fred HamptonActivists4–101432
362. 859Norman MailerWriters3–91432
363. 860Pete ConradAstronauts3–101432
364. 861Pete SeegerMusicians5–111432
365. 867Benny GoodmanMusicians4–101431
366. 868Jack WelchMoguls3–91431
367. 869Ira HayesMilitary2–71431
368. 873Michael DouglasEntertainers5–111429
369. 878Dick Van DykeEntertainers4–101428
370. 880Tennessee WilliamsWriters2–81427
371. 881Shel SilversteinWriters5–121427
372. 882Meyer LanskyOutlaws5–101427
373. 890Sam WaltonMoguls3–91425
374. 892Enrico FermiScientists2–71424
375. 893Ben HoganAthletes2–81424
376. 894Hank WilliamsMusicians2–81424
377. 895Nora EphronWriters3–111423
378. 896Babe Didrikson ZahariasAthletes6–101423
379. 897Claude ShannonScientists4–101423
380. 898Noam ChomskyWriters2–81423
381. 899Sylvia EarleScientists10–171423
382. 901Tom WolfeWriters4–91423
383. 902Jack LemmonEntertainers3–91423
384. 903Goldie HawnEntertainers5–121423
385. 906Fred HaiseAstronauts3–101421
386. 907Bear BryantAthletes27–291421
387. 908Andy KaufmanEntertainers8–151420
388. 909Annie LeibovitzIcons3–91420
389. 911Richard WrightWriters4–121420
390. 912Gus GrissomAstronauts5–101420
391. 914Linus PaulingScientists4–111419
392. 915Allen GinsbergWriters6–141419
393. 916James StewartEntertainers6–121419
394. 918Johnny UnitasAthletes4–91418
395. 920Chuck NorrisEntertainers14–241417
396. 921Bugsy SiegelOutlaws5–121416
397. 923Cary GrantEntertainers2–81415
398. 929Pam GrierEntertainers4–121414
399. 930Henry KissingerStatesmen8–151414
400. 931Patti LaBelleMusicians4–121414
401. 932Waylon JenningsMusicians3–101414
402. 933Dolores HuertaActivists3–101414
403. 936Dick CheneyStatesmen7–161413
404. 938George H. W. BushPresidents2–91413
405. 940William F. Buckley Jr.Writers2–81413
406. 945John KerryStatesmen4–101411
407. 948Angela LansburyEntertainers2–91411
408. 949Rachel CarsonScientists2–91410
409. 952Gore VidalWriters4–131409
410. 954Joe FrazierAthletes3–101408
411. 955Ginger RogersEntertainers3–111408
412. 957Michio KakuScientists2–101406
413. 958Vince McMahonMoguls1–91405
414. 963Linda RonstadtMusicians5–141404
415. 966E. O. WilsonScientists4–131403
416. 968Patsy ClineMusicians3–101402
417. 970Larry EllisonMoguls1–91402
418. 972Danny TrejoEntertainers4–131401
419. 973Aaron CoplandMusicians3–111401
420. 974Hugh HefnerMoguls6–181401
421. 975Dan GableAthletes2–91401
422. 976Sarah VaughanMusicians1–91401
423. 980Norman SchwarzkopfMilitary4–121399
424. 982Glenn MillerMusicians6–151399
425. 983Bernie MadoffOutlaws6–141399
426. 984Vera RubinScientists2–111399
427. 986Joan BaezMusicians1–91398
428. 989John DillingerOutlaws4–111396
429. 991June Carter CashMusicians15–331394
430. 992Mahalia JacksonMusicians4–131392
431. 997Thomas PynchonWriters7–191389
432. 998Walter MatthauEntertainers3–121389
433. 999Cicely TysonEntertainers1–101389
434. 1002Lauren BacallEntertainers1–101386
435. 1004Henry FondaEntertainers3–121384
436. 1006Jerry LewisEntertainers4–141382
437. 1010Pretty Boy FloydOutlaws3–111380
438. 1014Kenny RogersMusicians22–511377
439. 1019John DeLoreanMoguls1–121375
440. 1022Mitt RomneyStatesmen11–461373
441. 1028Ross PerotStatesmen0–111365
442. 1030Hedy LamarrScientists3–161364
443. 1031Dennis HopperEntertainers2–121363
444. 1033Charlie MungerMoguls0–101363
445. 1035Baby Face NelsonOutlaws1–131361
446. 1037Spencer TracyEntertainers1–121358
447. 1039Gene HackmanEntertainers11–471358
448. 1040Tom LandryAthletes2–151356
449. 1042Ursula K. Le GuinWriters2–141352
450. 1049Bob DoleStatesmen2–161336
451. 1050Carole KingMusicians3–171332
452. 1052Peter FalkEntertainers1–151327